GMOs. In the opinion of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and numerous supporters of GMOs, they would represent a real weapon of salvation for humanity, allowing to increase the yields of agricultural crops. According to a new document, funded by the US Department of Agriculture and by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, arguing that GM crops allow for higher yields is not a true statement.
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In the opinion of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and numerous supporters of the GM, they would represent a real weapon of salvation for humanity, allowing to increase yields of agricultural crops. According to a new document, funded by the US Department of Agriculture and edited by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, arguing that GM crops always allow for higher yields is not a true statement.
Researchers analyzed data comparing the yields of cattle grown with different varieties of maize, including genetically modified maize (including more GMO of the RoundUp Ready variety of Monsanto), between 1990 and 2010. Most of the yields related to GM maize were declared lower than non-GM maize varieties. The researchers said they were surprised by not having found significant improvements in yields thanks to the use of GMOs.
Specifically, in the case of the Monsanto corn named “Smart Stax”, which has been modified through the inclusion of genes capable of mutually interacting, the actual yields of the crops would have been judged as negatively hampered precisely because of the interventions of genetic manipulation made on it. Genetic modifications have led to negative effects on crops, the most obvious of which consists of a reduction of yields.
The document exposes scientific data and evidence related to how genetic manipulations are able to cause such changes in the course of the growth of a plant to make them less productive, precisely because of the event manipulation of its genome.
Furthermore, according to an article published in the pages of the journal Nature last year, concerning the comparison between the yields of GMO crops and organic farming, the land cultivated according to biological methods they have been shown to have a greater ability to absorb and retain water and have been able to guarantee higher yields as far as harvests are concerned, both in conditions of drought and excessive rainfall.
According to studies conducted by researchers at Wisconsin University, the yields per hectare of GMO crops would be lower than the yields of land cultivated using non-genetically modified seeds. The reduction in yields would be closely linked to the act of genetic manipulation itself.
In 2009 the Union of Concerned Scientist had published a document from similar conclusions, but the University of Wisconsin study currently wins recognition for the most rigorous attempt to compare yields from GM and non-GM crops. Self GMOs cannot guarantee the desired yields and heralded by seed multinationals and their supporters in the scientific world, and beyond, how to solve the problem of the need to have sufficient food resources for a growing world population? One could start, for example, with a more equitable redistribution of the same and a new international campaign against food waste.
Marta Albè
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